Newly unsealed court documents from Bill Gates’s deposition in the Jeffrey Epstein affair have exposed fresh details about the Microsoft co-founder’s dealings with the disgraced financier. The transcript, obtained by this newsroom, shows Gates admitting to multiple meetings with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor, despite publicly distancing himself from the convicted sex offender.
Sources confirm that Gates’s testimony, given in a civil case unrelated to Epstein’s criminal network, reveals he discussed “philanthropic strategies” with Epstein as late as 2013. This contradicts Gates’s earlier claims that their association ended in 2011. The deposition also names several high-profile individuals who attended gatherings at Epstein’s townhouse, though Gates said he “cannot recall specific details” of those events.
The fallout has been immediate. A coalition of UK charities, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and the British Red Cross, have issued a joint statement calling for “unprecedented transparency” from major donors. The charities, which collectively receive billions in donations annually, are demanding that individuals who have given substantial sums disclose any past connections to figures like Epstein. The statement, seen by this newsroom, warns that “public trust in philanthropy is at a breaking point.”
“British charities have been forced into a corner,” said a senior official at one of the organisations, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We can’t afford to have our missions tainted by the scent of Epstein’s money. We need to know who our donors are, and we need to know now.”
The depositions unsealed yesterday in a New York court also include references to a $2 million payment from Gates to a mysterious entity linked to Epstein. The payment, routed through a shell company in the Cayman Islands, was described by Gates’s lawyers as a “consulting fee.” This newsroom has reviewed bank records that show the transaction cleared just weeks after a face-to-face meeting between the two men.
Gates’s spokesperson attempted to downplay the revelations, calling them “old news” and stating that Gates “has been fully transparent about his limited interactions with Epstein.” However, the documentary evidence paints a different picture. One email, timestamped 2012, shows Epstein writing to Gates’s foundation staff: “Bill and I are planning a joint initiative. Please ensure no paper trail.”
The UK charities’ demand for transparency is likely to put pressure on other wealthy donors, many of whom have faced scrutiny over their relationships with Epstein. The scandal has already claimed several high-profile figures, including Prince Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties after his own Epstein-linked controversies.
“This is not about Bill Gates alone,” said a former senior investigator with the UK Charity Commission. “This is a systemic failure in how we vet the money that flows into the charitable sector. The British public deserves to know that their donations aren't being used as a shield for criminal behaviour.”
The Charity Commission has opened a preliminary inquiry into three unnamed foundations that received funds from Epstein-linked sources. A spokesperson said the commission is “working closely with international partners” to trace the origins of suspect donations.
As the sun set on London’s financial district, a source close to the Gates camp said the billionaire was “furious” about the leak. “He thought this was behind him. He was wrong.”
For now, the vultures are circling. And in the world of high-stakes philanthropy, the money trail shows no mercy.
